End closure arrangement for dispensing foamable liquids



June 1967 R. c. LAMPE 3,325,844

END CLOSURE ARRANGEMENT FOR DISPENSING FOAMABLE LIQUIDS Filed July 27, 1964 4 Sheets-Sheet l INVENT R.

HIS ATTORNEY June 20, 1

Filed July 27, 1964 ul 1 I'IIIHI R- C. LAMPE END CLOSURE ARRANGEMENT FOR DISPENSING FOAMABLE LIQUIDS 4 Sheets-s t 2 June 20, 1967 END CLOSURE Filed July 27, 1964 R. c. LAMPE 3,325,844

ARRANGEMENT FOR DISPENSING FOAMABLE LIQUIDS 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR.

H L5 ATTORNEY June 20, 1967 R. c. LAMPE 3,325,844

END CLOSURE ARRANGEMENT FOR DISPENSING FOAMABLE LIQUIDS Filed July 27, 1964 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR.

f0 en"? (3 cfanybe HIS ATTORNEY United States Patent O 3,325 844 END CLOSURE ARRANGEMENT FOR DISPENSING FOAMABLE LIQUIDS Robert C. Larnpe, Stamford, Conn, assignor to Electrolux Corporation, Old Greenwich, (Iona, a corporation of Delaware Filed July 27, 1964, Set. No. 385,163 4 Claims. (Cl. 15-50) This invention pertains, in general, to the dispensing of liquids which foam profusely when agitated or otherwise aerated, such as rug washing detergents, or rug shampoos, as they are often called; and, in particular, to an end closure arrangement including a pouring spout and a valve for enabling the transfer of foamable liquid from a bottle, or like container, to another container with which the pouring spout effects a seal so that foam generated during the transfer will be confined within the bottle and the container rather than allowed to escape from the container to cause a messy condition and waste of foam and liquid.

For the reasons set forth in greater detail in US. Patent No. 3,121,896 (granted Feb. 25, 1964, to Oliver L. Allen et al.) the use of a foaming liquid detergent for shampooing rugs is much preferred over a non-foaming liquid detergent. Briefly, if liquid detergent is applied directly to the rug, an excessive Wetting of the rug occurs and after it dries it often is discolored as a result of the excessive wetting. However, if a detergent in foam form is applied to the rug 'very little Wetting of the rug occurs and when it has dried very little or no discoloration appears.

While the rug washer disclosed in the Allen et al. patent, hereinbefore identified, performs the rug shampooing function very well, it has been discovered that the use of a foamable liquid detergent therein presents a serious problem. As a measured quantity of the foamable liquid detergent is poured from its bottle through the rug washers inlet port into a detergent holding reservoir in the rug washer'there occurs a profuse foaming of the liquid due to the agitation and aeration of the liquid while it is being poured. Often, the foam generated backs up out of the reservoir through the inlet port and onto the outer surface of the rug washer. Often, too, the foam on the top surface of the rug washer runs down the sides of the rug washer and onto the floor surface or rug creating a messy condition which usually must be cleaned up immediately. In addition, there occurs a needless waste of the liquid and foam.

One object of the present invention is to enable the transfer of foamable liquid from a bottle to a container, such as a rug washers reservoir, while preventing the foam generated during the transfer from escaping from either the bottle or the reservoir.

In accordance with the present invention there is provided an end closure arrangement which, according to one illustrative embodiment thereof, is comprised of: an internally threaded cap which is intended to be screw connected in the conventional way to the externally threaded neck of a bottle containing a foamable liquid detergent; and a spout which is fitted over the top surface of the cap. The top surface of the cap is closed, except for an eccentrically located aperture therethrough. Also, that surface portion of the spout which is in face to face abutment with the caps top surface is also closed, except for a similar eccentrically located aperture. In addition, the spout is contoured so that it fits within the rug washers inlet port in sealed relation therewith. The apertured top surface of the cap and the apertured surface of the spout which is in face to face abutment with the caps top surface define a valve. This valve is open when both of the eccentrically located apertures are in register and the valve is closed when the top surface of the cap covers the spouts aperture and the surface of the spout, likewise, covers the caps aperture.

Assuming that the valve is closed initially it is intended that the rug washers reservoir be filled with the foamable liquid detergent in the following manner:

The bottle is inverted and the spout is inserted in the rug washers inlet port in sealed relation therewith. The conforming shapes of the spout and inlet port are noncircular so that the spout which is fitted over the cap cannot be rotated or turned relative to the rug washer while the spout is within the inlet port. In order to open the valve and allow the foamable liquid to flow through the spout into the reservoir, the inverted bottle and its cap are rotated as a unit relative to the stationary spout until the caps aperture comes into register with the spouts aperture. After a measured quantity of the foamable liquid has been dispensed, the bottle and its cap are rotated as a unit in the reverse direction relative to the stationary spout until the valve closes.

Thus, with such an end closure arrangement a sealed transfer of the foamable liquid from the bottle to the rug washers reservoir is enabled and the foam generated during the transfer will be confined within the reservoir and bottle. It cannot escape therefrom to cause the mess and waste hereinbefore described.

In accordance with a second embodiment of the invention the separate cap is eliminated and the neck of the bottle is so constructed that its top surface is closed, except for an eccentrically located aperture therethrough which communicates with the interior of the bottle. A spout like that hereinbefore described is fitted over the top surface of the bottles neck. Thus, the apertured top surface of the bottles neck and the apertured spout define a valve. The end closure arrangement according to the second embodiment-is intended to be used in the same manner to fill the rug washers reservoir as herein-before described with reference to the first embodiment.

Further objects as well as the many features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing a spout and cap which form a first embodiment of the subject end closure for a bottle containing a foamable liquid detergent;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing cap assembled on the neck of the bottle;

FIG. 3 is a vertical section of the spout and cap as assembled;

FIG. 4 is a plan view showing the top of the cap;

FIG. 5 is a plan view showing the top of the spout;

FIG. 6 is a view of the bottom of the spout of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view, taken along section line 7-7 in FIG. 8, showing the bottle and its assembled end closure inverted and inserted in the inlet port of the rug washer with the end closures valve in a closed condition;

FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken along the section line 8-8 in FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a sectional view like FIG. 7, taken along section line 9-9 in FIG. 10, with the exception that the end closures valve is open to permit a foamable liquid to enter the rug washers reservoir through the reservoirs inlet port;

FIG. 10 is a sectional view taken along the section line 10-10 in FIG. 9;

FIG, 11 is a plan view showing the shape of the rug washers inlet port;

FIG. 12 is a section view taken along line 1212 in FIG. 11;

FIG. 13 is a perspective view showing the inverted the spout and bottle and end closure with the spout portion thereof arranged within the inlet port of the rug washer just prior to rotating the bottle and cap to open the end closures valve;

FIG. 14 is a vertical section through "the arrangement shown at FIG. 13;

FIG. 15 is an exploded perspective view of a second embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 16 is a perspective view showing the various parts of the second embodiment of FIG. 15 in their assembled condition;

FIG. 17 is a sectional view taken along section line 17-17 of FIG. 18 showing the assembly of FIG. 16 as inverted with the spout portion thereof inserted in the inlet port of the rug washer with the valve mechanism closed;

FIG. 18 is a sectional view taken along the section line 18-18 of FIG. 17;

FIG. 19 is a sectional view taken along section line 19-19 of FIG. 20 showing the assembly of FIG. 16 as inverted with the spout portion thereof within the rug washers inlet port with the valve mechanism thereof in an open condition to permit the foamable liquid in the bottle to enter the rug washers reservoir; and,

FIG. 20 is a sectional view taken along the section line 20-20 of FIG. 19.

A first embodiment of the subject end closure is shown in the exploded perspective view at FIG. 1. The end clo sure is comprised of a cap 10 and a spout 16. The cap 10 and spout 16 are to be assembled with a bottle, designated generally by the reference number 14, for containing a foamable liquid detergent, such as a rug shampoo. The bottle 14 is a conventional bottle having a neck 12 with an opening 13 in the top thereof which communicates with the interior of the bottle. On the outer periphery of the neck 12 there is provided a projecting spiral thread 18. The bottle 14 is preferably formed from a transparent or somewhat transparent material, such as glass or polyethylene so that the level of the liquid therein may be observed.

The cap 10 may be molded from a relatively hard ma terial, such as Bakelite or a hard melamine plastic. The cap 10 is of a generally cylindrical shape and it has, as shown at FIG, 3, an internal spiral groove 20 which receives the projecting spiral thread 18 when the cap is screwed onto the neck of the bottle. The cap is provided with a roof 32 which has a relatively flat outer' surface through which an aperture 34 is provided, the aperture 34 being eccentrically located with respect to the center of the roof 32 as indicated at FIGS. 1, 3 and 4. Four ledges 22, 23, 24 and 25 integral with the roof 32 extend outwardly from the roof 32. These ledges serve to retain the spout 16 when it is fitted over the cap 10 as shown at FIG. 3.

In the outer periphery of the cap 10 there is formed a plurality of projecting ribs 26. As will become clear from the discussion hereinafter appearing, these ribs 26 enable the cap 10 to be firmly grasped by a persons fingers during the liquid dispensing operation. Also formed in the caps outer periphery are two outwardly projecting stop members 28 and 30 which serve to limit the angle through which the cap 10 and bottle 14 may be rotated relative to the spout 16. The stop members 28 and 30 will, as explained hereinafter, abut against another stop member 50, or tab, provided on the spout 16.

The other part of the end closure according to the first embodiment is the pouring spout 16 which is molded from a material that is softer and more flexible than the material from which the cap 10 is made. For example, the spout 16 may be molded from polyethylene or the like. The spout 16 has a skirt 40 which extends downwardly from a floor portion 44; the skirt 40 having an inwardly turned ledge 40a as indicated at FIG. 3. Since the spout 16, as well as the skirt 40 and ledge 40a are of relatively soft material, it can easily be temporarily deformed and forced over the ledges 22, 23, 24 and 25 of the cap, as indicated at FIG. 3, so that when assembled the ledge 40a is under the ledges 2225 with the ledges 22-25, in turn, being under the floor portion 44 of the spout. As a result, the spout the top of the cap 10 and relative rotation between the cap and spout is permitted in the manner hereinafter described.

Extending upwardly from the floor portion 44 is a wall 42 which defines a four wall enclosure or duct. As indicated at FIG. 3 the upwardly extending wall 42 tapers inwardly by a small angle A so that it can enter and make sealed contact with the complimentary tapering wall 64 which defines the inlet port 62 of the rug washer 60 (FIGS. 11 and 12). The rug washer 60 is fully described in the Allen et al. patent, hereinbefore identified. Within the four wall enclosure defined by wall 42 there is a reinforcing wall 48 which is integral with the wall 42 and a floor 44a which is within the four wall enclosure. As indicated in the drawing the reinforcing wall 48 divides the four wall enclosure into two compartments. The reinforcing wall 48 serves two purposes: First, it provides lateral rigidity for the four wall enclosure, preventing buckling of the wall 42 away from the inlet ports wall 64 when the four wall enclosure is inserted into the rug washers inlet port 62 (FIGS. 7 and 9), thereby ensuring a sealed fitting of the wall 42 with the wall 64. Second, it serves to prevent buckling or curling of the floor 44a and thus prevent leakage of the liquid detergent between the floor 44a and the roof 32.

When the spout 16 is fitted over the cap 10 there is defined a valve mechanism. That is, the caps roof 32 and its eccentrically located aperture 34 and the spouts floor 44a and its eccentrically located aperture 46 define the valve. The valve is closed when the spouts floor 44a covers the caps aperture 34 as shown in FIG. 7; and the valve is open when both of the eccentrically located apertures 34 and 46 are aligned, in the way hereinafter described, so that they are in register as shown in FIGS. 3 and 9.

FIGS. 7-10, 13 and 14 illustrate the manner in which the liquid is dispensed from the bottle 14 into the reservoir 68 of the rug washer 60. First, it is assumed that the valve mechanism, hereinbefore described, is closed and the bottle 14 is inverted as shown at FIGS. 7, 9, 13 and 14. When inverted, the wall 42 of the spout 16 is inserted into the rug washers inlet port 62 in sealed relationship therewith. The wall 64 encompassing the inlet port 62 is, as shown at FIG. 12, outwardly tapered as indicated by the angle A to receive the inwardly tapering wall 42 of the spout 16 so that the outside surface of the wall 42 can make intimate con: tact with the inside surface of the wall 64 to provide the aforementioned seal. In order to open the valve to bring the apertures 34 and 46 into registry, the bottle 14 together i with its cap 10 is rotated in a clockwise direction as indicated by the arrow B in FIG. 13. In so doing the projecting stop members 28 and 30 are rotated through a little more than When the valve is closed these stop members 28 and 30 are in the position shown in FIG. 8. However, after rotation, as may be appreciated from FIG. 10, the projecting stop member 30 abuts the tab member 50 to prevent further rotation thereof. Thus the aperture 34 is rotated into registry with the aperture 46, as shown at FIGS. 9 and 10 to permit the foamable liquid to enter reservoir 68. Since the bottle 14 is at least somewhat transparent the falling level of the liquid may be viewed with reference to the graduation rnarks, such as 11 (see FIG. 13) until a predetermined amount of liquid isdispensed. After the predetermined amount of liquid has been dispensed, the bottle 14 together with the cap 10 are rotated in a counterclockwise direction to return the bottle 14 and its cap 10 to the position shown at FIGS. 7 and 9. It is to be noted that during the opening and closing of the valve the spout 16 remains stationary and only the bottle 14 together with its cap 10 are rotated. Furthermore, when 16 is securely retained on the bottle is rotated together with its cap in a clockwise direction to open the valve, the threads 18 on the bottles neck tend to tighten in the threaded groove 20 of the bottle cap. Thus, the cap rotates in unison with the bottle. However, when the bottle and cap are rotated counterclockwise to reclose the valve there is some tendency to unscrew the bottle from the cap. However, this may be prevented by grasping the projections 26 with the left hand as shown at FIG. 13 to ensure counter-clockwise rotation of the bottle 14 and the cap 10 in unison so that the bottle will not become unscrewed from the cap 10.

Since the liquid will tend to foam as it is being dispensed into the reservoir 68 the foam will be confined within the reservoir or within the bottle 14, and foam generated in the reservoir may be displaced therefrom into the bottle by the liquid flowing into the reservoir from the bottle. Upon closure of the valve the foam then in the reservoir will be confined to remain therein, and in order to prevent this foam from backing up out of the inlet port 62 after the bottle and spout have been removed, a cap 66 provided on the rug washer 60 may be immediately closed, thus limiting any foam that does escape from the inlet port 62 to a negligible amount.

The second embodiment of the invention is illustrated at FIGS. 1520. As shown there is employed a spout 16 of the same kind as is employed in the first embodiment. However, a bottle 51 is used which has a neck 52 that is modiffied so that a cap, such as the cap 10 of the first embodiment, may be eliminated. As shown the neck 52 has a relatively fiat surfaced roof 53 in which there is an eccentrically located aperture 54. Extending outwardly from the roof 53 are the four ledges 55, 56, 57 and 58 which serve the same purpose as the ledges 2225 in the first embodiment. The neck 52 also includes two projecting stop members 59 and 61 which serve the same purpose as the projecting stop members 28 and 30 on the cap 10 of the first embodiment. Since the spout 16 is formed from a relatively soft flexible material, such as polyethylene it may easily be fitted over the ledges 55-58 as suggested in FIG. 16, wherein the spout 16 is shown assembled on the neck 52 of the bottle. FIGS. 17 and 19 show in more detail how the inwardly turned ledge 40a is situated relative to the projecting ledges.

The manner of dispensing the foamable liquid from the bottle 51 is the same as that hereinbefore described with reference to the first embodiment. The bottle 51 with its spout 16 is inverted and inserted into the inlet port 62 of the rug washer in sealed relationship therewith. Initially the valve which is defined by the eccentrically located aperture 54 in the roof 53 and the eccentrically located aperture 46 in the floor of 44a is closed as shown in FIG. 17. In order to open the valve to the position shown at FIGS. 19 and such that the apertures 54 and 34 are in registry the bottle 51 is rotated in a clockwise direction. With the valve open a predetermined amount of liquid may with the aid of the graduation marks 63 (FIG. 16) be dispensed into the reservoir 68. After this predetermined amount of liquid has been deposited in the reservoir the valve mechanism may be returned to the closed position as indicated at FIGS. 17 and 18 by rotating the bottle in a counter-clockwise direction. Again it is to be noted that only the bottle 51 and its integral neck portion 52 are rotated during the opening and closure of the valve, the spout 16 being held stationary within the inlet port 62. Again as in the first embodiment the projecting stop members 59 and 61 by virtue of their abutment against the tab 50 will limit the rotation of the bottle. Since there is no threaded connection between the bottle neck and any 6 other element, there is no danger of unscrewing the bottle so that all that need be done is to rotate the bottle.

Since the liquid tends to foam as it is dispensed into the reservoir 68 this foam will be confined either within the reservoir itself or within the bottle 51. Upon closure of the valve the foam in the liquid in the reservoir will be confined within the reservoir. After the valve has been closed, the bottle together with its spout 16 may be removed and the cap 66 quickly closed thus limiting the amount of foamable liquid that does escape from the inlet port 62 to a negligible amount.

While there has been shown and described two more or less specific embodiments of the invention this has been done for purpose of illustration only and is not to be considered as limiting the scope of the invention, which is to be determined from the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. An article of manufacture, for dispensing flowable material into a reservoir through an inlet port on the reservoir, comprising: a container for the flowable material having a neck, said neck having a top portion that is closed except for an eccentrically located aperture therethrough which communicates with the containers interior; wall means defining a spout, said spout having a floor portion which is closed except for an eccentrically located aperture therethrough, an inner wall within said spout extending from said floor portion and contacting said wall means to form a pair of ducts within said spout one of which is in communication with said aperture in said floor portion, means for rotatably connecting said spout and said neck so that in one relative position of said spout and neck said floor portion is in face-to-face abutment with said top portion whereby said floor portion closes said aperture in said top portion and said top portion closes said aperture in said floor portion; said inner wall reinforcing said wall means defining said spout against buckling and reinforcing said floor portion against buckling; said wall means defining said spout being configured for insertion into the inlet port of said reservoir in sealed relationship therewith; said container and associated neck being rotatable into a second position relative to said spout in which the aperture in said top portion of said neck is in registry with the aperture in said floor portion of said spout.

2. The article of manufacture according to claim 1 wherein said inner wall is coextensive with said wall means defining said spout.

3. An article of manufacture according to claim 1 with the addition of stop means having associated parts connected with said neck and spout for limiting rotation thereof between said one position and said second position.

4. The article of manufacture according to claim 3 in combination with a rug shampooing apparatus having said inlet port and reservoir; said inlet port and said spout having a generally rectangular configuration.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,279,290 9/1918 De Camps 222-553 X 1,325,427 12/1919 Weaver 141-363 X 2,545,350 3/1951 Fuld 222-553 X 2,619,266 11/1953 McDonald 215-76 2,977,015 3/1961 Bartlett a 215-76 3,104,039 9/1963 Dike 222-545 X LAVERNE D. GEIGER, Primary Examiner. SAMUEL ROTHBERG, Examiner. E. J. EARLS, Assistant Examiner. 

1. AN ARTICLE OF MANUFACTURE, FOR DISPENSING FLOWABLE MATERIAL INTO A RESERVOIR THROUGH AN INLET PORT ON THE RESERVOIR, COMPRISING: A CONTAINER FOR THE FLOWABLE MATERIAL HAVING A NECK, SAID NECK HAVING A TOP PORTION THAT IS CLOSED EXCEPT FOR AN ECCENTRICALLY LOCATED APERTURE THERETHROUGH WHICH COMMUNICATES WITH THE CONTAINER''S INTERIOR; WALL MEANS DEFINING A SPOUT, SAID SPOUT HAVING A FLOOR PORTION WHICH IS CLOSED EXCEPT FOR AN ECCENTRICALLY LOCATED APERTURE THERETHROUGH, AN INNER WALL WITHIN SAID SPOUT EXTENDING FROM SAID FLOOR PORTION AND CONTACTING SAID WALL MEANS TO FORM A PAIR OF DUCTS WITHIN SAID SPOUT ONE OF WHICH IS IN COMMUNICATION WITH SAID APERTURE IN SAID FLOOR PORTION, MEANS FOR ROTATABLY CONNECTING SAID SPOUT AND SAID NECK SO THAT IN ONE RELATIVE POSITION OF SAID SPOUT AND NECK SAID FLOOR PORTION IS IN FACE-TO-FACE ABUTMENT WITH SAID TOP PORTION WHEREBY SAID FLOOR PORTION CLOSES SAID APERTURE IN SAID TOP PORTION AND SAID TOP PORTION CLOSES SAID APERTURE IN SAID FLOOR PORTION; SAID INNER WALL REINFORCING SAID WALL MEANS DEFINING SAID SPOUT AGAINST BUCKLING AND REINFORCING SAID FLOOR PORTION AGAINST BUCKLING SAID WALL MEANS DEFINING SAID SPOUT BEING CONFIGURED FOR INSERTION INTO THE INLET PORT OF SAID RESERVOIR IN SEALED RELATIONSHIP THEREWITH; SAID CONTAINER AND ASSOCIATED NECK BEING ROTATABLE INTO A SECOND POSITION RELATIVE TO SAID SPOUT IN WHICH THE APERTURE IN SAID TOP PORTION OF SAID NECK IS IN REGISTRY WITH THE APERTURE IN SAID FLOOR PORTION OF SAID SPOUT. 